FAIRBORN | Pushkar Shah has seen the worst of what mankind has to offer during his six-year bicycle trek through 60 countries to promote world peace.

But despite attacks by robbers and even a kidnapping, it is the stories of living off the land and the kindness of his fellow man that brings a smile to Shah's face.

Fairborn resident Nischal Shrestha, a native of Shah's home country of Nepal and a supporter of his quest, is housing Shah during his stop. Shah, 36, rode his bike to Dayton last week from Canada and will leave today for Los Angeles. His next stop is Africa.

Shah, a peace activist in college and witness to violence throughout his life in Nepal, left home in 1998 with the goal of visiting every country in the world to promote peace.

He said he thinks by 2009 his journey will be complete. He wants to end the quest by climbing Mount Everest and staking a flag from 150 nations in a show of solidarity for peace.

"We are one world, one heart. We have one sun, one moon — we are of one world," he said. "One man cannot change everything. We all have to be a personal messenger of peace."

Nepal, between China and India, is slightly larger than Arkansas and is home to the Himalayan mountains. Shah said his story is a lesson about hope and never losing sight of it — about forging ahead despite pain, hunger and thirst.

His mission grew out of a tortured past — literally.

Shah said his father was killed in 1986 in a terrorist attack. And as a young man, Shah said, he was beaten and tortured by police while he was a peace activist before graduating from the University of Kathmandu.

He began he journey with just 100 Nepalese rupees ($1.50), handed to him by his mother. But as his story spread, cash donations came in through a Web site that tracks his progress. He uses the money to buy airline tickets to cross the oceans. Offers of shelter and assistance during his travels also came from around the globe.

Even so, there are many days that Shah goes without food, and some meals are as meager as discarded orange peels or fruits from trees and plants.

There also are those days he looks back on and knows he's lucky to be alive.

While in Mexico in late 2003 and in dire need of water, Shah said he was resting under a tree by the roadside when a truck pulled up. Three men lured him into the truck, where one pulled a knife and knocked him unconscious.

When he awoke on the truck floor, Shah said he knew they were going to kill him, so decided to try to fight his way out of the truck.

He managed to escape into the desert with cuts and bruises.

Five days later, police found the assailants and recovered his bike, thanks to Shah, who memorized the truck's license plate number.

Then there was the time in Barbados when a man sneaked into his tent and beat him up even after Shah offered what little money he had.

But Shah said those bad memories are more than balanced by the people who offer him meals and shelter, or help in other small ways.

"Everyday, I ask please send me today one more person (who) is kind," he said.

In March 2001, it was Sir Edmund Hilary who came to Shah's aid.

Hilary, the first man to climb to the top of Mount Everest, heard about Shah after his bike was stolen while he was in New Zealand and paid for him to get a new bike.

You Can also view his website at http://www.pushkarshah.com

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